Ricciardo believes Verstappen is maturing after Hungary apology

Daniel Ricciardo was impressed with how Max Verstappen spoke to him one-on-one to apologise for their collision in Hungary.

Max Verstappen's apology for colliding with Daniel Ricciardo and forcing his retirement from the Hungarian Grand Prix convinced his Red Bull team-mate he is maturing.

Ricciardo went down the outside of 19-year-old Verstappen at turn two on the opening lap at the Hungaroring and the Dutchman locked up and drove into him.

The Australian went spinning out of the race as a result and branded his team-mate a "f****** sore loser" but confirmed the following day that the pair had talked the issue over.

Asked if Verstappen's apology showed he is maturing, Ricciardo told Formula One's official website: "I think so. But we are also spending more time together – that is inevitable when you race for a second season together.

"I have also seen him more away from racing than last year. Last year he was a kid – now I see him as a young adult.

"His apology was all I could ask for and the way we did it was not the kind where his manager was standing next to him or [team principal] Christian [Horner] was between us - it was a one-on-one."

Ricciardo recalled a similar incident when Verstappen tried to immediately atone for an error and caused a collision between the two Ferraris at last year's Belgian Grand Prix, where the pair will return to action after the mid-season break this weekend.

He said: "It was maybe a little bit like last year here in Spa: he was starting from the front row but didn't get the best jump and tried to make it up straight away – and that didn't work out. So Budapest was not the first time he's done that.

"Is it a weakness? I don't know if it is a weakness. At the moment it is probably just youth. I am surely not trying to school him."